Galway United 2
Cork City 1
Dylan O’Connell reports from Eamonn Deacy Park
GALWAY UNITED BREATHED fresh life in the First Division title race on Friday evening by coming back to beat Cork City 2-1 at Eamonn Deacy Park.
It looked like the Rebel Army had the three points they needed to secure the championship when Barry Coffey scored in the 50th minute, but the home side then scored twice in two minutes through Wilson Waweru and Charlie Lyons.
The result means that Galway will reduce City’s lead to just four points if they beat Treaty United at the Market Fields later this month.
Colin Healy’s side were determined to get the result to seal the title as they pushed up from the whistle and won a corner inside two minutes. Matt Healy sent a short ball to Ruairi Keating, who sent it back to the midfielder. His cross was cleared to Darragh Crowley and his shot was easily picked up by Conor Kearns.
United reacted by tightening up in the centre, and this forced City to come at them. Twice they got into a decent position when countering, and each time David Harrington plucked the ball out of the air for his team.
Galway were then awarded a free-kick, David Hurley’s ball was put out to Diego Portilld and the defender volleyed over.
Another opening inside the City half ended with Ally Gilchrist getting in the way of goal-bound header from Mikie Rowe.
City then drove up the pitch, a move led by Aaron Bolger in the centre. He set Cian Bargary and the winger’s shot was collected by Kearns. The next time Bolger got free, City won a corner and Healy’s ball was smacked off the crossbar by Gilchrist. The ball went back to Jonas Hakkinen and his limp follow up was scooped up by the Galway goalkeeper.
It was end-to-end and the home side should taken the lead when a Hurley corner missed Harrington and dropped to Rowe. His shot was blocked by Gilchrist and a second attempt was scrambled away by Barry Coffey.
Five minutes after the break, Bargary picked off a goal-kick from Kearns. He sprinted forwards and squared to a free Coffey. The midfielder’s attempt from outside the area grazed a Galway defender, went out of the Galway goalkeeper’s reach, and into the top-left corner.
City started to cruise. Healy hit the crossbar and Coffey put a shot from just outside the area over.
It was all going so well until Max Hemmings got into space on the flight flank and crossed to the back post. The ball was broken down to Wilson Waweru who found the net from close range.
Two minutes later a bicycle kick from Charlie Lyons went passed Harrington and Galway went 2-1 up.
City brought on Louis Britton and Dylan McGlade in an attempt to get back in the game.
In eight minutes of added time, the team couldn’t break down a well drilled Galway defence, keeping the title race alive.
Tonight’s other First Division clash saw Athlone Town win 3-1 away to Cobh Ramblers.
Galway United: Conor Kearns; Conor O’Keeffe, Stephen Walsh, Charlie Lyons, Diego Portilla (Bastien Hery 64), Mikie Rowe, David Hurley, James Finnerty, Ronan Manning (Wilson Waweru 64), Edward McCarthy, Max Hemmings.
Cork City FC: David Harrington; Cian Coleman, Ally Gilchrist, Aaron Bolger, Ruairi Keating, Barry Coffey, Cian Bargary (Dylan McGlade 87), Matt Healy, Darragh Crowley, Cian Murphy (Louis Britton 86), Jonas Hakkinen.
Referee: Oliver Moran
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